On November 13, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York ruled that a debt collector’s voicemail message did not violate the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act when it never mentioned that plaintiff owed a debt or conveyed any information about the debt, despite being overheard by the plaintiff’s son. In Zweigenhaft
CFPB Supervision Report Targets Illegal Debt Collection Practices
On October 28, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued the latest edition of its “Supervisory Highlights” report, covering illegalities it discovered in the debt collection, student loan servicing, and mortgage collection markets between March and June 2014. Although the Bureau acknowledged increased efforts by covered entities to ensure regulatory compliance, the report nevertheless
FTC Stops Debt Collection Scheme that Targeted Spanish-Speaking Consumers
At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. district court judge in Miami has temporarily shut down a fraudulent phantom debt collection operation that allegedly deceived Spanish-speaking consumers across the country.
On October 20, the FTC filed a complaint against Centro Natural Corp., Sumore LLC, and several individual defendants alleging that defendants illegally
CFPB Report: One-Third of Older Consumers’ Complaints Are About Debt Collection
On November 5, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a report detailing debt collection complaint statics received from older consumers between July 2013 and September 2014.
From a broader perspective, the CFPB reports that since September 2013, consumers of all ages have filed more complaints with the CFPB about debt collection than about any other
OCC Warns on Auto Lending, HELOC, and Debt Sale Risks
On October 28, the Deputy Comptroller for Supervision of Risk Management Darrin Benhart of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency discussed auto and home equity lending risks and consumer debt sales. A copy of his remarks, which were made before the Financial Services Collections and Credit Risk Conference, can be found here.
IAPP’s Practical Privacy Series 2014 – NYC Edition
On November 5-6, the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) will host a Practical Privacy Series in New York. According to IAPP, the Series will offer laser-focused education in the hot areas of data privacy that gets straight to the point, giving attendees the knowledge they need right now.
Topics to be covered are:
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FCC Steps into Data Privacy Fray with Action Against Telecommunications Company
The Federal Communications Commission took its first step into the field of data security regulation on October 24 when it hit two telecommunications companies with a $10 million fine for allegedly failing to adequately safeguard customers’ sensitive information.
The two companies – TerraCom, Inc. and YourTel America, Inc. – were fined for allegedly placing the
CBO Releases Cost Estimates for Financial Regulatory Clarity Act
On October 17, the Congressional Budget Office responded to a request from the House Financial Services Committee and issued certain cost estimates associated with the implementation of the proposed “Financial Regulatory Clarity Act of 2014.” Specifically, the CBO estimated that the bill would cost the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau $7 million between 2015 and 2024,
The ACA International’s 2014 Fall Forum & Expo
This year’s ACA International Fall Forum & Expo, to be held in San Francisco on November 5-7, is quickly approaching, and their roster and agenda look outstanding. ACA International describes this year’s event:
ACA brings you four cutting-edge tracks with the latest updates from industry experts. Twenty-eight concurrent sessions from thought-provoking speakers, twenty-five plus innovation
CFPB Finalizes Privacy Policy Disclosure Rule
On October 17, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized an administrative rule, first proposed in May, that allows qualifying financial institutions to post their privacy policies online in lieu of sending the policies to customers personally. The rule, an amendment to a regulation known as “Regulation P,” 12 C.F.R. Part 1016, applies both to